[aquadimoet]

Saturday evening I was watching TV when it started to turn itself on and off. At one point my daughter was in the bathroom getting ready to go out and the TV as well as everything elso on that specific circuit (breaker) went out for about 30 seconds or so but then came back on. Last night it started the same thing but this time everything on that circuit went out and stayed out. I went to the breaker box and no breakers were tripped but I turned it off for about a minute and then flipped it back to on - nothing. I then threw the breaker to OFF and left it there as I am not sure what is going on and prefer to have no electric to that circuit. Does this sound like a short in the circuit? Or should I just replace the fuse? This specific breaker/circuit (not sure what the correct terminology for all of this is) has always given me trouble; it will trip the breaker even if a space heater is plugged in and then we use the hair dryer but up until this point it always tripped the breaker and I was able to switch it back on. Any help anyone can give me is GREATLY appreciated. I suppose I need to call an electrician? Thank you for your time!

[tkrussell]

Yes, you need an electrician. There is not a short circuit. If so the breaker would be tripping.

You most likely have a loose connection somewhere in the circuit, or a defective circuit breaker. Troubleshooting this problem will require opening the panelboard to check the circuit breaker, and the connections in the panel. If the problem is not fround there, then every outlet box and junction box in the circuit must be opened to check for loose connections.

Once the loose connection is found, there is a high possibility something will need to be replaced, as loose connections cause heat that can damage devices, splices, wiring, etc.

[donf]

How old is your home? If it was built in the early Seventies, it may have been wired with Aluminum Conductors.

Aluminum wiring can cause all manner of strange things to happen!

If it is aluminum, then all of your circuits and connections have to be checked for safe connections.